Fireless cooker



J. E. CHAMBERS.

FIRELESS COOKER.

APPLICATION mm OCT. 31, Ian.

1,389,813. PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. E. CHAMBERS.

FIRELESS COOKER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31. 1911.

Patented Sept. 6,1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

gwuemto c J32]: zaamzra I J. E. CHAMBERS.

FIRELESS COOKER.

APPLICATION FiLED OCT. 31. I917.

1 389,8 1 3 PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

awmwtoz J. E.. CHAMBERS.

FIRELESS COOKER.

APPLICATION nuzn OCT. 31, 1917.

1,389,81 3 PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

%Wd I 542115076 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

JOHN E. CHAMBERS; or SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR To CHAMBERS MANFG V 00;, or SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or INDIANA.

FIRELESS COOKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. CHAMBERS, citizen of the United States, residing at Shelbyville, in the county of Shelby and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireless Cookers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing."

. This invention relates to fireless cookers,

' and is designed primarily for use in connection with rolling kitchens or the like, the cooker being of such construction, however, that it is equally serviceable and useful for field or trench service, as Well as in hotels restaurants or other institutions.

The invention has reference to that type of fireless" cooker wherein is employed a casing having non-conducting walls forming an interior cooking chamber adapted to receive a cooking vessel, and associated means for imparting the necessary heat to the chamber and'surrounding walls, whereby when the chamber is sealed the confined heat will continue to cook the material contained in the vessel, after the heat supplying medium has been removed or cut 0E, and it is one of the objects of the invention to provide an improved device of this character, simple and neat in design and construction, of but few parts, comparatively inexpensive to produce, light, but strong and durable in character, highly eflicient and satisfactory in service, and to otherwise generally improve upon structures of this type.

One of the features of the invention resides in a novel and improved construction of surrounding walls or casing for the cooker with a view of strengthening the same, and at the same time reducing the weight thereof whereby the same may be readily handled and repositioned as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a cooker of the character under consideration, a movable door to facilitate the entrance into, or removal from, the cooker, of a heat transmitting medium, and to provide for the necessary draft, together with means of novel and improved construction for securingthe door in place and in tight engage- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 31, 1917.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921. Serial No. 199,506.

ment with the surrounding wall of the casing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel and improved means for supporting within the cooker, a cooking vessel proper, and efficient means for facilitat ing the passage of the heated products of combustion around the cooking vessel and out of the cooker as desired.

The invention further contemplates novel and improved means for closing the upper end of the cooker, said means preferably taking the form of'a hingedly connected covering, and having associated means for looking the same in a lowered position or in sealed contact with the body of the cooker.

Further, the invention includes means for maintaining the cover or top wall of the cooker in a slightly open position to allow the products of combustion to escape, while at the same time retaining considerable of the heat elements, together with means for maintaining the cover in an entirely open position.

The invention still further includes means whereby a portable heat transmitting element may be positioned within the cooker, and associated means for guiding and accurately positioning the heat transmitting element in the assembling of the latter, said last mentioned means preferably taking the form of a diaphragm arranged below the cooking vessel and above the body or fluid containing part of the heat transmitting element.

Still other and further improvements, and

novel details in the construction and arrangement' of the various parts of the apparatus will be appreciated from the description to follow, which, for a clear understanding of the invention is to'be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which. form a part hereof and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustrating a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cooker embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section with the cover in slightly raised position.

Fig. 1 is a perspective detail enlarged of a retaining means for the cover.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the cooker with the cover removed.

Fig. 7 is "a vertical section of the cooker with the cover in lowered position and illustrating by dotted lines the cover in raised position aswell as means for maintaining the same in this position.

Fig. 8 is a detail, with parts broken away.

of a means for locking the cover in elevated position. 7 .5

With more particular reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 and 2 are inner and outer walls respectively, of thecasing constituting the side walls or body part of the cooker. These walls may take different formations, but in the illustrative embodiment of the invention are conveniently cylindrical in form andconstructed of sheet metal, whereby'to reduce'theweight of the apparatus as a whole as Well as to conserve expense; These-walls, 1, and 2 have reinforcing collars or circular members, the one, 3 beingpositioned at theupper end thereof and the other, 4 at the lowerfend thereof.

These collars are preferably reinforcing ma- 7 terial such as channel castings, the flanges of which restbetween and engage the op posed' surfaces of the walls 1 and 2, thereby spacing these walls and strengthening the same at theends. Interposed between the walls 1 and 2 and the collars 3 and 4 is asuitable filling of heat insulating material 5. The parts just described constitute the body of a cooker, which may, if desired be devoid of the usual bottom, and the lower collar 4 constituting a base may have an outwardly projecting flange or flanges 5, apertured to receive securing bolts or the like, whereby to secure the casing directly upon the floor of the. truck or room as the case may be, which said lfloor will constitute the baseof the cooker. In this connection if desired, of course a suitable plate It is desirable'to remove the heating element after the container has transmitted to it the desired temperature, and to this end, and also to provide the necessary air while the heater is in operation, a movable door in the side wall,'preferably at the front of the container is provided, the said door comprising an outer wall 9 preferably curved to conformwith the curvature of the outer wall '2 of the body part of the casing, and an inner wall 10 conveniently having an offset part 11 forming an abutment and connected in any desired manner with the front wall 9. Interposed between the walls 9 and 10 of the front door is suitable heating insulating material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention this door is bodily removable. In order to accommodate'the removable door the front wall of the casing is provided with an opening 12, and conveniently the inner wall 1 ofthe casing has offset flanges 13 forming acollar inclosing the heat insulating material surrounding the opening 12. The flange or collar portion 13 has returned bent parts 14. which overlie the outer surface of the outer wall 2 of the casing and being free at the edges and slightly spaced from the said outer surface of'the wall'2 of the casingis free-to slightly yieldupon itself and form in effeet a packing interposed between the body of the casing and the removable door. hen the door is in closed position the body portion 14; thereof will substantially fill this space provided by theopening 12, the abut ments or shoulders 11. contacting with the flanges 13 surroundingsaid opening, and the outer wall 12 of the door overlying the outer wall 2 of the casing as well as the yieldable flanges 1 L just described. A preferred means for locking the doorin closed positionv conveniently takes. the form. of opposed locking arms or bars15 pivoted at one end 16in any desiredgmanner'to'the front wall 9 of the door adjacent the opposite sides thereof and terminating in. finger engaging parts 17. 1 These bars are'slightly yieldable longitudinally and are adapted to engage behindthe offset flanges 18 of lugs secured to the frontwall of the casing one adjacent each side of the door opening. 1

- In order to separate the container 6 from the burner part of the'heat. transmitting element and further to accurately guide the same inthe positioning of the latter'there is provided a diaphragm 20, conveniently constructed of outersheets of metal and an intermediate sheet ofheat insulating material. The diaphragm 20 has therein an elongated slotted way 21 forming a suitable guide to'facilitate the positioning and removallof the heating element. The slot. is preferably of such a length that when the flue or stem 8 of'the heating element which engages within the slot reaches the limit of its movement in the slot the burner willbe vessel is provided accurately positioned centrally beneath the cooking vessel, whereby to equallydistribute the heat products.

' The Cooking vessel proper is indicated at 22, the samepreferably having a cylindrical wall of slightly less diameter than that of the surrounding wall 1 whereby to provide an annular passage way 23 for the pars sage of air and products of combustion. The cooking vessel is freely suspended within the'rcasing, and is preferably entirely supported at the upper end thereof through the medium of a circumferential flange or bead 24 at the upper end of the vessel 22 adapted to rest upon an inwardly projecting flange or flanges 25 conveniently integral with the upper collar or ring 3 of the cooker casing. The supporting flange 25 for the cooking with one or more air passages for the escape of the air and products of combustion, and these air passages are conveniently formed by cut out parts 26 in the flange 25. In the preferred construction the supporting flange 25 takes the form of segmental parts separated from one another by segmental slots forming the air passages 26 as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The cooking vessel is preferably provided with-a removable lid 27 conveniently formed of thin sheet metal and having a flange 28 toengage the inner surface of the side wall of the vessel. The lid 27 has a centrally dished part 29 and a flat handle part 30 bridging the space formed by the dished part, and said handle is in horizontal alinement with the outer surface of the lid 27 whereby to offer no obstruction thereabove.

The cover for the cooker includes a collar or ring 31 conveniently of channel iron, the flat part of which is adapted to engage the upper flat surface of the collar 3 of'the body part of the cooker. The inner wall of the cover is formed of sheet metal 33', the same having a depending annular flange adapted to engage the inner edge of the collar 31, the wall 33 of the cover forming with said flanged partan annular recess or chamber to receive the supporting flange 25 of the ring 3 and the upper edge of the cooking vessel mounted upon said flange. The outer wall 34 of the cover is also preferably formed of sheet metal and has a downwardly projecting flange 35 adapted to rest upon ashouldered portion 36 in the outer edge of the collar 31. Interposed betweenthe walls 33 and 34 of the cover is a filling of suitable heat insulating material 37.

The cover is preferably hingedly connected to the body part of the casing through the medium of registering apertured lugs 38 and 39 on the collars 3 and 31 respectively, and a bolt or pintle-39 fittedin said apertures and having terminal nuts or heads, 40. 1 The collar or ring 31 has at the front thereof a U-shaped projection 41 forming a handle whereby the cover may be raised 01' lowered at will.'

The preferred means for retaining the cover in closed or slightly elevated position is preferably constructed as follows:

Projecting outwardly from the ring 3 of the casing is an apertured lug 42 adapted to receive a stem 43 projecting downwardly from the retaining member proper 44. The member 44 is adapted to have oscillating movement, through the medium of the loose engagement of its stem 43 in the recess of the fixed lug 42. The retaining member has a recessed part'45 adapted in one position of the member to engage over the handle 41 when the cover is in sealed contact with the top edge of the casing. The cover will bethereby retained in closed position. Now assuming that it is desired to retain the cover in slightly open position whereby to permit the products of combustion to escape and at the same time retain the majority of the heat, the retaining member 44 is rotated about its-pivotal connection in a reverse direction whereby the shoulder por-' tion 46 thereof will engage between the rings 31 and 3, thereby retaining the cover in spaced relation to the body portion of the cooker at the front edge thereof and providing a .free escape forthe vapors and gases. The retaining member may be locked in its different positions through the medium of a thumb nut 47 having threaded engage ment with the lower end of the pintle 43. Suitable means may be provided for maintaining the cover in completely opened or raised position, and this means, as illustrated takes the form ofprojecting lugs 49 and 50 spaced vertically from one another and suitably supported upon the frame work 51 of the truck, or wall of the room accord ing to the use to which the invention is put. The lugs 49 and .50 are adapted to engage over opposite edges to the hand engaging part of the handle 41, and when in this position a locking bolt 52 is adapted to engage in registering apertures in the lugs 49 and 50 and overlie the said hand engaging part whereby to lock the cover in raised position. 'The retaining a convenient position medium of a chain or the like 53.

It is believed that the construction and operation of the apparatus will be appreciated from the description above, likewise the advantages resultant therefrom, but these may be brieflyreviewed as follows:

The cooker is primarily designed for use in .trucks preferably motor trucks in army service, though it is understood that the same is equally useful in other connections, and it will heappreciated that when in use upon trucks gasolene fuel for the stove is for use through the bolt 52 may be held in quite desirable, since gasolene is alwayscarried by V such trucks, and under operative conditions the consumptlon of fuel 1s exceed- 1ngly IIIBXPBHSIVG. Assuming that it is desirable to cook articles or material within the vessel22, the heat transmitting medium such as a gasolene torchstove is inserted in the'cooker, the slotted way 21 constituting a guide for positioning the stove, and the burner being ignited, When the fire is burning beneath the cooking vessel, the insulated cover of the container should be nearly closed,- and the retaining member 44 is thereing an escape through the openings 26 formed by the segmental flanges which support the bead at the upper .end of the cooking vessel. The cover when in slightly raised position will tend to restrict the outlet of the heat elements and a considerable amount of heat will be retained by the cover. The

openings 26 will be entirely closed, how-' I ever, and the draft stopped so soon as the cover is closed. 7

. It will be understood that the opening 12 in the lower part of the cooker will be alwaysleft open when the fire is on. When the contents of the cooking vessel have been sufficiently heated, the fire pot is removed, the lowerdoor 9 closed, and the retaining member 44 rotated so as to be positioned out of the path of the cover which will permit the latter to be entirely closed in which event there will be no escape of heat and no burners inside of the cooker containing pressure or consumed fuel to cause soot or explosive gases.

In view of the fact that the use of the fire is but for a comparatively short time, while the cooking may proceed'for hours after the fire pot is removechthis arrange ment permits of the use of the fire pot and burner for other cooking purposes. The independent source of heat is further peculiarly adapted to military services in that it requires no pipe lines or complicated construction and it is readily understood interchangeable at will. 7

The diaphragm 20 positioned below the cooking vessel is the two fold function of protecting the gasolene tank 6 from the heat ofthe burner, and second to accurately'locatethe-fire pot relative to the center of the cooking vessel.

NVhat I claim is: r V

1. In a fireless cooker, the combination of and adapted to be positioned below the cooking V vessel and to-be bodily removed as a' unit, said side walls having a front opening for such removal, and a bodily removable door having an interior heat insulating material, said door having a flange to engage the wall surrounding the front opening of the casing, and means for normally retaining said door in tight engagement with the 'casinggcom prising spring arms pivoted one adjacent and lugs on the front wall of the casing adapted in the swinging movement of-said arms to be engaged by the latter and thereby exert spring pressure on the door.

2. In a tireless cooker, the combination of abody p'artcomprising inner and outer tubu- 'each side of the door at the front thereof,

lar walls having an interposed filling of heat lnsulatmg material, and open end walls'com- V prising collarsfitted to the inner and outer walls at the ends thereoffone' c'ollar having means to support acooking vessel positioned 1 in the chamber formed by said. walls, heat creating means arrangedwithin said chamber below the cooking vessel, the body part of the cooker having an opening at a point adjacent the lower endthereof inone of its sides, a closure for said opening, the said heat creating means beingbodily removable as a complete unit through said opening and when in position adapted to rest on the sup porting surface for the c-ookerand a movable closure for the upperend o'f'said chamber.

' 8. In afireless cooker,'thecombination'of a body part comprising inner and outer tubular walls having an'interposed filling of heat insulating material, an'd open' end walls comprising collars fitted to the inner. and outer walls at the endsthereof, the lower collar being adapted to rest upon a suitable sup-' porting surface which said surface const1- tutes a base for'the cooker, and one collar having means to support a cooking vessel positloned 1n the chamber formed by said walls heat creating means arranged within said chamber belowthe cooking vessel, said heat creatingmeans adapted to rest directly uponthe supporting surface and be inclosed by the side walls of the cooker, andbeing bodily removable atwill a movable closure for theupperend of said chamber, the supporting means for the cooking vessel having 7 air openings, and the tubular wall of the cooker having an air base thereof.

inlet part adjacent the 4. In a fireless cooker, the combination of a cylindrical body part comprising concentric walls of sheet metal separated from one another by a filling of heat insulating material, reinforcing collars interposed between said cylindrical walls at the ends thereof, the lower collar being adapted to rest upon a supporting surface for the cooker and forming a surrounding wall for an open bottom end for the cooker, a heat insulated cover hingedly connected to the upper collar, and said upper collar having an inwardly projecting flange, bodily removable heating means positioned within the body part of the cooker and projecting through the open bottom thereof to rest upon the supporting surface therefor and a cooking vessel arranged above the heating means and having a flange at the upper edge thereof adapted to engage said flange of the upper collar.

5. In a fireless cooker, the combination of a cylindrical body part comprising concentric walls of sheet metal separated from one another by a filling of heat insulating material, reinforcing collars interposed between said cylindrical walls at the ends thereof, the lower collar being adapted to rest upon a suitable supporting surface for the cooker means carried by the lower collar to engage and be secured to a floor or other surface, a heat insulated cover hingedly connected to the upper collar, and said upper collar having an inwardly projecting supporting flange, a normally closed opening in the side wall of the cooker adjacent the base thereof, a liquid heating element bodily insertible and removable as a complete unit through said normally closed opening a cooking vessel arranged above said heating element having a flange at the upper edge thereof adapted to engage said flange of the upper collar, said cylindrical wall having an air opening adjacent the base thereof, and said supporting flange of the upper collar having air openings therein, means for maintaining the cover in a slightly elevated position, means for closing the air inlet, and means whereby when the cover is in closed position said air passages in said flange will be entirely closed to the outside.

6. In a fireless cooker, the combination of a casing comprising inner and outer walls, having therebetween a filling of insulating material, a reinforcing member interposed between said walls at the top and bottom thereof, the upper reinforcing member having an inwardly projecting member overlying the interior chamber formed by said casing, a cooking vessel in the chamber having an outwardly projecting member at its top resting upon said inwardly project-ing member of the reinforcing member, a heating element confined within the cooker below the vessel, a movable top for the cooker,

and movable means on the casing adapted according to its position to maintain said cover in either a'raised or lowered position at will.

7 In a fireless cooker, the combination of a casing comprising inner and outer walls having therebetween a filling of insulated 'material, a reinforcing member interposed between said walls at the top and bottom thereof, the upper reinforcing member having an inwardly projecting member overlying the interior chamber formed by said casing, and a cooking vessel in said chamber, a heating member arranged within the cooker below the vessel, and said vessel having an outwardly projecting member at its top resting upon said inwardly projecting member of the reinforcing member.

8. In a fireless cooker, the combination of a casing comprising inner and outer walls having therebetween a filling of insulated material, a reinforcing member interposed between said walls at the top and bottom thereof, the upper reinforcing member having an inwardly projecting member overlying the interior chamber formed by said casing, and a cooking vessel in said chamber, said vessel having an outwardly projecting member at its top, resting upon said inwardly projecting member of the reinforcing member, said inwardly projecting member having a series of air openings, and a. heating member positioned below said cooking vessel and bodily insertible and movable as a unit through the side wall of the cooker without disturbing said vessel.

9. In a fireless cooker, the combination of a casing comprising inner and outer walls having therebetween a filling of insulated material, a reinforcing member interposed between said walls at the top and bottom thereof, the upper reinforcing member having an inwardly projecting member overlying the interior chamber formed by said casing, a cooking vessel in said chamber, said vessel having an outwardly projecting member at its top, resting upon said inwardly projecting member of the reinforcing member, said inwardly projecting member having a series of air openings, a movable cover for said casing and means for maintaining the same in open position whereby the products of combustion may freely escape from said opening, said casing having an open bottom surrounded by the adjacent reinforcing member, and a removable heating element positioned in the bottom opening and supported interiorly of said casing.

10. In a fireless cooker, the combination of concentric cylindrical walls having an interposed filling of heat insulated material, rings or collars interposed between said walls at the top and bottom thereof, a cover hingedly connected to the upper collar, said upper collar having an inwardly projecting annular Hwy...-

being bodily removable as a complete unit;

and means Within the cooker for supporting said member in position. v

In testimony. whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

7 JOHN E. CHAMBERS V VVitnesses:

. GEO. H. MEIKs, CHAS. A. HACK. 

